Thermally controlled valve



June 24, 1941. w. KNIGHT THERMALLY CONTROLLED VALVE Filed March J4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l M \E [r W/ZE z 'yjg June 24, 1941.

I. W. KNIGHT THERMALLY CONTROLLED VALVE Filed March 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1941 THERMALLY CONTROLLED VALVE Ira W. Knight, Providence, RI, assignor to Gen- .eral Fire Extinguisher Company, Providence,

R. I., a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1940, Serial No. 323,891

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ther mally controlled valves.

Such valves are particularly useful in fire extinguishing systems where it is desired to hold back the fire extinguishing medium from certain pipe lines leading to sprinkler heads or discharge nozzles. Examples of such lines are those extending over tanks containing inflammable fluids at high temperatures, and those extending into adjacent apartment spaces from a single source of supply.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple inexpensive valve normally held closed by thermally responsive means which gives way at a predetermined temperature to permit opening of the valve. It is a feature of the invention that the thermally actuated means may be externally applied to the valve with assurance of proper adjustment with respect to the internal valve elements.

The best mode in .which I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings but these are to be taken as merely illustrative because it is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing how a valve embodying my invention may be applied to a pipe line leading to discharge nozzles arranged to project a fire extinguishing medium onto the inflammable contents of a container such as a tank;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan showing a piping layout, including several valves of the inven-, tion, for internal storage spaces within a building; and

Figure 3 is a medial section through the improved valve, with certain of the parts shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawings and more especially to Figure 1, the container l represents a tank holding a highly inflammable fluid l 2. In many instances such fluids are kept at a high temperature, much too high to permit an ordinary fire extinguishing medium such as water to be present in the piping l4 located over the tank and having discharge nozzles 16. In such cases, it is desirable to maintain such distributing pipes dry until discharge of a fire extinguishing medium is required, and even where the inflammable contents may be at ordinary room temperature the normally dry distributing pipe is preferred as a Q safeguard against any inadvertent leakage. In just such situations the valve of the present invention is especially applicable because, as shown in Figure 1, the valve body I 8 may be located outside of. the container It in the riser 20 leading to the distributing pipes M (only one of which is shownfor simplicity). The thermally responsive means 22'of the valve are, however, positioned within the confines of the tank in favorable location to be promptly subjected to the heat generated by a fire occurring in the inflammable con tents. When this happens, the thermally re sponsive element gives way and the valve opens, thus enabling the flre extinguishing medium, ready under pressure in the supply 20, to be distributed to the several nozzles l6 and discharged upon the burning fluid.

In the plan view of Figure 2, the rectangular spaces 24, 2B and 28 represent chambers in which valuable goods, such as furs for example, may be stored. In this showing the piping is indicated by dotted lines, the sprinkler heads by small circles and the valves embodying the present invention are represented by the larger circles. A main supply pipe 30,'containing a fire extinguishing medium under pressure has branches 32 leading to distributing pipes 34 which extend throughout several adjacent chambers. These pipes are equipped with sprinkler heads 36 which may be of the open or automatic type. Valves [8 of this invention are placed in positions to control the flow to the distributing pipes and sprinklers, the purpose being to permit extinguishing discharge in any chamber wherein a fire occurs and preventing discharge of the fire extinguishing medium in the other chambers unless a fire likewise occurs therein.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, the valve body is preferably made in three sections, I 8a, I81), and I80, with suitable packing means 42 between the sections and with suitable bolts (not shown) securing the sections together. The section Ilia, shown lowermost in the drawings, has a threaded inlet 44 for connection with a supply pipe, and in alignment with this inlet there is a tapered passageway 45 provided in the intermediate section I82) leading to a valve seat 48. Also in alignment with the inlet 44 and passageway 46 is a threaded outlet 50 in the section l shown uppermost in the drawings. Thus when the valve is open for discharge the fire extinguishing medium flows in a direct course through the valve from its inlet to its outlet.

The inner end of the tapered passageway 46 is normally closed by a valve element or clapper 52 carried by an arm 54 which has axle portions 56 journalled in socket elements 58 provided in. the wall of the intermediate section I81). Beyond its pivotal connection with the clapper 52, on the opposite side from its axles 56, the arm 54 is provided with a seating surface 5411 on which rests one end of a rod 60. The latter holds the clapper seated or permits it to swing to the open position shown in dot-and-dash outline, according to the control (or lack of it) exercised by the thermally responsive means 22.

These means comprise a frame having a yoke 62 which extends from opposite sides of an externally threaded stem 62a and terminates in a sleeve portion 62b. Secured in the sleeve is a pin 64 having a washer 65 at its end adapted to receive one end of a frangible bulb 68 which contains a charge capable of causing complete destruction of the bulb at a predetermined temperature. The other end of the bulb rests upon a cap whose skirt 70a extends around a pair of resilient disks 'IZ'between which is a central separating washer M. The outer edge of the bottom disk rests on a so called button 16 whose edge has a sliding fit within the skirt a. The depending convex bottom of the button rests against the concave end of the rod 60. Between a seat 620 at the outer end of stem 62 and the extended edge of the button 16 is a so-called feeler washer 18.

The valve is set in closed position before the heat responsive means 22 and the rod 68 are applied, thus permitting access through the hole Ifld'to insure proper seating of the'clapper 52 on the seat 48. The rod 68 is then inserted through the hole lBd and also within a guide hole 80a in a plug 89 which fits tightly in the hollow of the stem 62a. The stem 62a is then screwed into the hole l8d, until the concave end of rod 6|] comes to rest against the convex hearing surface of the button 15. Thereafter as the stem 62a is turned further, the disks i2 begin to flex. The proper amount of this flexing is determined by the feeler washer 18 which becomes loosened as the stem proceeds inward after the button has ceased to move longitudinally because of its bearing on the rod 66. When the feeler washer can be just barely rotated by the fingers, the adjustment is correct and the turning of the yoke and stem is arrested. The set screw 82 is then tightened against the stem, its pointed end biting into the bottom surface of a groove 62d provided therefor on the stem 52a. The valve is now set closed to hold back a fire extinguishing medium under pressure which may moved. This permits the pressure on the fire extinguishing medium on the clapper 52 to swing the latter and its arm 54 around the axis of its axle members 56 into the dot-and-dash position shown, the rod 60 being pushed outward through the hole a and the hollow of the stem 62a until a collar 60a on the rod brings up against the plug 80. The fire extinguishing medium is accordingly admitted to the distributing pipes for discharge through the sprinklers or nozzle in the vicinity of the fire.

Although in Figure 1 and Figure 3 the valve is shown with its flow axis vertical, it is not necessary that it be installed in this particular position, as obviously it may be arranged in any position most convenient or desirable.

I claim:

1. A thermally controlled valve having a casing with a straight passageway including an inlet leading to a seat within the casing; a clapper adapted to rest on said seat to close said passageway against flow of fluid standing under pressure in said inlet; an arm pivotally mounted on the wall of said'casing and engaging said clapper; a rod engaging said arm and extending outward through a hole in the wall of said casing; a yoke member having a hollow stem threaded into said hole in position for said rod to project into the hollow of said stem; a charged frangible bulb, adapted upon being heated to a predetermined temperature to destroy itself, resting against the outer end of said yoke member; and resilient means interposed between said bulb and said rod and arranged to yield as said yoke member is screwed into said hole; the resilient means, rod and clapper being moved by the pressure in said inlet to open said passageway upon the 'destruction of said bulb.

2. A thermally controlled valve having-a casing with a passageway therethrough; a'clapper constructed and arranged to close said passageway; means holding said clapper in closed position comprising a rod extending through a hole in the casing and a yoke member having a hollow stem threaded into said hole and having a seat at the outer end of said stem; a feeler washer resting on said seat; a resilient strut interposed between said washer and the outer end of said yoke with the inner endof said strut engaging the outer end of said rod; said strut including a thermally responsive member capable of giving way at a predetermined temperature to permit movement of said rod to release the said clapper; the adjustment of said resilient strut with respect to said yoke being determined by the screwing of the stem into said threaded hole in'thecas'ing until the feeler washer can be"ma'nually turned on the seat of the stem.

IRA W. KNIGHT; 

